Event Production Pitfalls

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Let's face it. The production of an event is not an easy job. There is a lot and often many different companies involved. It's no wonder then that something can go wrong. In this eventplanner.tv episode, Rimko Tunise exposes the major pitfalls in producing events.

Transcript

Let's face it. The production of an event is not an easy job. There is a lot and often many different companies involved. It's no wonder then that something can go wrong. In this eventplanner.tv episode, Rimko Tunise exposes the major pitfalls in producing events.

Hi Rimko, welcome to our studio.

Thank you very much.

When producing an event, a lot can go wrong. Can you give some examples?

Well, of course, one of the senses I hear a lot on the build of an event is well I expect of you to do that or I assumed and here for instance where the lighting guys are asked for worst powerful old kitchen and they say well there was no communication about that, and we never assumed that we had to do that.

So it's a good thing to make good agreements upfront, who does what, who takes what with him, and so on.

That's indeed the case, and I'm not asking for an event planner or an organizer to have all the knowledge readily available where it goes on technique or equipment and there you can win a lot by hiring a production manager who can aid you in getting those things straight. A lot of organizers and event planners have a lot of knowledge about marketing, what their guests expect from the event, but lack a bit of technical knowledge where it goes on lighting, sound, power, video equipment, and so on, and so on. And if you have a good production manager, he will make sure you do not mix the mistakes I've just mentioned.

Can you give an example on a situation where for example the technical knowledge of the event planner can be a problem?

Of course. For instance, I've been to an event where the event planner said to the caterer, "Well, there's enough, a lot of power in this building and you can just plug in." But he didn't knew, he expected a kitchen to be as he had his kitchen right at home, which with one plug could be powered. But there you have a professional kitchen for thousands of people to cater for, and that's a whole another level. Another example is for instance a, a video. A lot of speakers, guest speakers come to an event while you cannot bring a movie to show the, during my Powerpoint presentation. Well, of course, there's no problem. And a lot of people if they think about video, the idea they have is well, if I have a YouTube video, which looks good on my laptop screen 15 inch, it will look good always, but then it get blown up on a, a screen for a four by two meters wide and there all you see is little dots coming, going around.

I hear a lot of technicians complaining about facts that some of the event planners arrive just before the event starts and are one of the first leaving the event, how does that impact the production?

A lot of times where we all ready building an event lighting wise or sound wise started five o'clock, six o'clock in the morning and some are about nine, ten, the event planner comes in and says, "Well, this is not what I asked for. This is totally different, or the stage is on the other side of the room." Okay, we have to tear everything down, build a back-up again, which takes hours of work, which we rather have put into the final details of the event, instead of making sure the deadline is kept, and where there is some caterers are asked to come in, furniture to come in. We are just trying to get that done. On the other half, during breakdown of your event, you have to realize the event planner or organizer is also responsible for, responsible for that part of the procedures.

But at the same time, an event planner does have a lot of events going on, sometimes at the same time on different locations, he can be everywhere at the same time, and do it all.

That's true, but I'm not saying that the person of the event planner has to be there all the time. I'm saying that he should delegate that job maybe to somebody else.

So somebody is responsible for that part of the event.

Of course. For questions which always arise for logistical problems, who goes out first and also the part of that safety. Few weeks ago, I saw an article on eventplanner.be, were, three people were hurt during the build up of Tomorrowland. And please bear in mind that the general audience or your customer doesn't know if that's about the scaffold builder did something wrong, or the guys who fell down weren't safety-lined properly. What they see and what they remember is three people get hurt during build-up of Tomorrowland.

It's definitely. And at the same time everybody wants to get it as cheap as possible.

Of course. I'm a full, a full, I always look at the price, but all I remember what level of quality do I want. And certainly, at an event, there are different types of, of finishing that adhere to a different audience. If you are an investor, well, the level of finishing for instance for cables are laid down, or as long as it is safe that's not problem. So, and if there are flat cases in your way, that's not, inside, well, a festival audience doesn't have formal of that. If you are, well, for instance on a G-20 event, all leaders all around the world come in, you don't want flat cases on your way. You want all cables not shown.

That all comes out the cost.

That comes of the cost so please do not look at the bottom line all the time, but keep in mind what kind of quality do you want.

Okay Rimko. Thank you for coming to our studio.

Thank you very much Kevin.

And you at home, thank you for watching our show. I hope to see you next time.

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